PanamaLeaks Case
ISLAMABAD: Perhaps both the parties — the petitioners and respondents — gambled on the PanamaLeaks’ case. No one was ready to tell the true story. Some 19 hearings into this landmark case have passed over. Counsels from both the sides consumed 52-long hours of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and would most likely continue their arguments by the end of next week.
Inquisitive worthy judges asked Makhdoom Ali Khan on Wednesday let’s called a spade a spade: “You [both parties] have nothing to present before this court on record.” What is going on here — this is a big question mark, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa remarked as observing, ‘Answers all the questions [Mr Makhdoom] — otherwise we don’t know where will this case go up.”
This was the moment when the entire leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz left their chairs in the Courtroom No 2 which was completely packed with more than 300 journalists, politicians, legislators, diplomats and lawyers who were witnessing this course of arguments. They all stood up for some moments.
Imran Khan even got closer to the rostrum where slightly exhausted Makhdoom Ali Khan was responding to thorny questions raised by the five-member bench. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, MNAs Daniyal Aziz and Maiza Hameed were witnessing the course of proceedings with unique curiosity. “It was a difficult day,” Mr Makhdoom told this correspondent.
Perhaps the last two days (Monday and Tuesday) were Makhdoom's days where PML-N legislators were found clapping and rejoicing in the hall. But issue of dependency of Maryam Nawaz Sharif on her father proved tougher for Mr Makhdoom. Apparently, it was the most difficult day in the PanamaLeaks' case when judges raised 31 questions linked to money trail but they have yet to receive their answers. Mussadik Malik, Spokesperson for the Prime Minister, was taking notes carefully. He kept meeting people irrespective of party lines and shared lighter moments with them over there.
Decent looking MNA Zaib Jaffar was also closely witnessing the proceedings when PTI’s top leadership was searching its top counsel Naeem Bokhari. His services were desperately needed to PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and PTI Secretary General Jehangir Tareen, who was waiting for Imran Khan in the courtroom. "Maleeka, please go out and call him," Mr Qureshi said. But Bokhari could not make his way to the apex court despite receiving a call from his assistant, Maleeka Bokhari.
Search for Mr Bokhari started 10 minutes before the tea break when Premier Sharif’s counsel faced troubled time. Justice Azmat Saeed, who always kept a smile on his face, made it clear to Mr Makhdoom that he had taken 17 hours of this court but had yet to respond to his questions.
Seemingly, Mr Makhdoom was feeling the heat in the courtroom. The word ‘gifts’ attracted the worthy judges much as they were questioning the source of income of PM Sharif’s sons who sent a huge amount of over Rs520 million from 2010 to 2014 to their father.
If it were not enough in a tense environment of the courtroom, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan pointed out some discrepancies in a piece of land Premier Sharif gifted to his daughter. “What is the reason for these gifts," the worthy judge further asked.
“Wow! Judges destroyed Sharifs’ image today — because PM's family produced manufactured documents before the court,” Imran Khan whispered in Jehangir Khan’s ear. Mr Tareen always looked sober in the courtroom, perhaps the only leader who closely monitored the course of arguments.
“It’s a sumptuous food for media today,” Fawad Chaudhry murmured while leaning towards the edge of Imran Khan’s chair. As clock struck 10:50am one could think over there that perhaps it was the moment which stole happiness of the N-Leaguers in the courtroom. This moment disturbed all legislators of PML-N but Khawaja Asif kept a smile on his face all the way while sitting behind Zaffarullah Khan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Law and Justice.
Before Mr Makhdoom came across difficult time in the court, Sheikh Rashid of Awami Muslim League and Senators Nihal Hashmi and Chaudhry Tanveer of PML-N left the proceedings. A couple of lawyers also were asking from one another if Nihal Hashmi would be lucky enough to become the next Governor of Sindh. Even a couple of journalists also posed this question to him.
During the course of proceedings, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa looked more energetic, cool and calm than anybody else in the room. Perhaps he knew, “What the whole case is — and how to deal with learned counsels.” The bench also gave complete liberty to the counsels to argue their case the way they wanted to.
But before a tea break, it was MNA Shafqat Mahmood of PTI who admitted that their lawyers apparently could not explain PTI’s point of view about the case before the bench in a better way, issue of PM's tax evasion in particular. Mr Makhdoom somehow satisfied the judges on the issue of tax evasion and it was Mr Tareen who told Shah Mahmood Qureshi that “remittances sent from abroad are perhaps exempted from taxes.”
Again an important moment came when the court’s clock struck 12:40pm when the judges looked more vibrant in posing tough questions to Mr Makhdoom on issue of 'money trail and dependency.' Premier Sharif’s counsel looked a bit dejected but he carried on his arguments. It was the moment when Imran Khan again whispered “now Makhdoom forgot how to argue in English language — Urdu py agia hi ab bechara.”
Left-handed Salman Akram Raja, counsel for Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, noted all the major points but remained silent all the way. Many lawyers whispered in this correspondent’s ear that everybody was waiting to hear Mr Raja who will be receiving tough questions from the judges as he is representing PM Sharif’s sons — the central characters in this case.
Many lawyers were updating their Facebook status and even a couple of journalists were tweeting the proceedings of the Leaks’ case, all the way live from the courtroom. At the last moment, Shahid Hamid came to rescue Mr Makhdoom who was explaining discrepancies found in property record of Maryam Nawaz. Then the judges prorogued the proceedings. Mr Makhdoom will continue his arguments on the same issue of money trail and dependency of Maryam Nawaz Sharif today at 9:30am.